If you are one of the lucky few to receive your Apple Watch on launch day, you are probably excitedly going through the steps to setting up and customizing your device. With a completely new operating system to get used to, we’ve got a couple of tips for getting your Apple Watch ready for daily use.

Apple Watch Overview

Apple Watch Front

Apple yesterday released a user guide for its wrist-worn device that provides a detailed overview of the case for those who aren't yet familiar with various features. For starters, you can easily identify the Digital Crown/Home button on the side of the watch case. Press it to go to the Home screen while viewing an app, or to display the watch face.

You can also double-click the Digital Crown to access your most recently used app. To activate Siri, press and hold it. Zoom in and out or scroll by turning the crown.

The side button, which sits just below the Digital Crown is used to show or hide friends, turn on or off Apple Watch, and access Apple Pay (with a double-click).

Apple Watch Back

The back side of the case houses the speaker, heart rate sensor, and microphone. You will also be able to remove your watch band by pressing the band release buttons on the back of the case.

Setting Up Apple Watch

  1. Charge Apple Watch (if it needs it). Your watch should generally arrive with at least 50 percent charge to get you going right out of the box.
  2. Press the Home button on the Digital Crown to start up the watch and following the prompts to select a language and proceed.
  3. Pair your Apple Watch with your iPhone.
  4. Open the Apple Watch app on iPhone to access your apps and customize your experience. During the setup process, you will be asked whether you want to automatically install all Apple Watch-compatible apps or manually select apps for installation.

Customizing Apple Watch

The Apple Watch app on your iPhone lets you customize notifications, app layout, and more. You can also use it to set up Apple Pay and access the App Store so you can download compatible Apple Watch apps. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap "My Watch" to access the customizable settings.

For Apple Pay, you'll need to set up each card manually as you did on your iPhone, and the process will generally involve a confirmation step such as an activation code sent via email/text or a call to your bank to verify each card for use. Once your cards are set up, you can use Apple Pay from your watch even without your iPhone present.

Fine-Tune Apple Watch Settings

You may want to tweak the settings a bit if you discover that the alerts are too loud, the text is too small, or the screen is too bright, so head to the Settings app to make these adjustments.

Brightness and TextAdjust Brightness

  1. On Apple Watch, open the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down to Brightness & Text Size.
  3. Tap the Brightness symbol.
  4. Turn the Digital Crown to adjust.
  5. Or, access the settings from the Apple Watch app on the iPhone under My Watch

Adjust Text Size

  1. On Apple Watch, open the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down to Brightness & Text Size.
  3. Tap Text Size.
  4. Turn the Digital Crown to increase or decrease the size of the font
  5. Toggle the Bold Text switch to the On position to make text bold. Apple Watch will reset after turning on or off Bold Text.
  6. Or, access the settings from the Apple Watch app on the iPhone under My Watch.

Sound and HapticsAdjust Sound

You can increase or decrease the volume of the ringer and alerts on Apple Watch, or mute everything.

  1. On Apple Watch, open the Settings app.
  2. Scroll down to Sounds & Haptics.
  3. Tap the volume button under Ringer and Alert Sounds.
  4. Turn the Digital Crown to adjust the volume.
  5. To mute Apple Watch, toggle the mute switch to the On position.
  6. You can also mute Apple Watch by swiping up on the watch face. Swipe to the Settings glance, then tap the mute button.
  7. Or, Access the settings from the Apple Watch app on the iPhone under My Watch.

You can quickly mute a new alert or notification sound by placing the palm of your hand over the watch display and holding it there for three seconds. This feature is great when you forget to silence your Apple Watch before going into a meeting.

You must turn the feature on to use it.

  1. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap My Watch.
  3. Tap Sounds & Haptics.
  4. Toggle the Cover to Mute switch to the On position.

Settings GlanceTurn on Do Not Disturb

You can silence every aspect of Apple Watch, including screen lighting, using Do Not Disturb. You can specify a time period for the feature to turn on and off, designate certain contacts that can be filtered through, and quickly flip it on for a temporary silence.

  1. Swipe up on the watch face
  2. Swipe left or right to access the Settings glance.
  3. Tap the Do Not Disturb button.
  4. Or, on Apple Watch, open the Settings app.
  5. Tap Do Not Disturb.
  6. Toggle the switch to the On position.

Do Not Disturb MirroringYou can also silence both your iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time from the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.

  1. Open Apple Watch app on iPhone
  2. Tap My Watch.
  3. Turn on Do Not Disturb.
  4. Then, turn on Mirror iPhone.
  5. Any time you change Do Not Disturb on iPhone or Apple Watch, the other will match it.

As a brand-new platform, there is a lot for users to learn about Apple Watch, and it takes some getting used to with multiple types of interaction methods. This guide is just a starting point for after you take it out of the box and before you leave the house, and we’ll keep you updated with more how-to guides to help you get the most out of your Apple Watch.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

Top Rated Comments

Mactendo Avatar
133 months ago
Step first: Receive your Apple Watch in June.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
oneMadRssn Avatar
133 months ago
I thought the first step to getting it up and running is to post in 25 threads how your order placed mere seconds after pre-orders opened still hasn't shipped.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Twimfy Avatar
133 months ago
Just learnt that a screen grab is possible with both buttons :-)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
odds Avatar
133 months ago
Anyone think we should fully charge before powering on at all? I realize it will still charge powered on, but just curious...

Won't matter!
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CmdrLaForge Avatar
133 months ago
I love mine already and I prefer to discover new gadgets just by myself without any guide. Thats why I didn't watch the Apple guides.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hlevolve Avatar
133 months ago
I love my Space Gray 42mm so far. I have to say the band is far far better than I thought it would be (Black Floroelastemer), it's extremely comfortable. I hardly even feel like I'm wearing a watch were most of them bug the crap out of me (band wise).

The haptic feedback scared me at first lol. Felt weird. It's enjoyable now though each time I get a message. I almost want to enable a ton of notifications from more apps just so I can get it to do this more often haha. I currently have it set to just the notifications that are most important such as texts, bill reminders, calls, and such.

Great product and I can see getting an enormous amount of use out of it, happy I was able to get it on launch day!
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Air Colors Thumb 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air Rumored to Come in These 9 Colors

Friday July 11, 2025 12:30 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will be available in a total of nine color options, according to new information coming out of Asia. The iPhone 17 Air's expected color options. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, accessory manufacturers are now producing camera protector rings for the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air in colors to match their...